The ancient world, from the earliest times to 800 AD . sy to defend. Moreover, the long islandof Euboea approached the mainland just opposite the pass, sothat the Greek fleet in the narrow strait could guard the landarmy against having troops landed in the rear. The Greek fleet at this place numbered 270 ships. Of thesethe Athenians furnished half. The admiral was a Spartan,though his city sent only sixteen ships. The land defense hadbeen left to the Peloponnesian league. This was the supremelyimportant duty ; but the force, which Sparta had sent to attendto it, was shamefully small. The Spart
The ancient world, from the earliest times to 800 AD . sy to defend. Moreover, the long islandof Euboea approached the mainland just opposite the pass, sothat the Greek fleet in the narrow strait could guard the landarmy against having troops landed in the rear. The Greek fleet at this place numbered 270 ships. Of thesethe Athenians furnished half. The admiral was a Spartan,though his city sent only sixteen ships. The land defense hadbeen left to the Peloponnesian league. This was the supremelyimportant duty ; but the force, which Sparta had sent to attendto it, was shamefully small. The Spartan king, Leonidas, heldthe pass with three hundred Spartans and a few thousand 178 THE GREEKS —PERSIAN WARS [§176 allies. The main force of Spartans was again left at home, onthe ground of a religious festival. The Persians reached Thermopylae without a check. Battlewas joined at once on land and sea, and raged for three hundred Persian ships were wrecked in a storm, and therest were checked by the Greek fleet in a sternly contested con-. a photograph: to show the steepness of the mountain side. flict at Artemisium, On land, Xerxes flung column after col-umn of chosen troops into the pass, to be beaten back each timein rout. But on the third night, Ephialtes, the Judas ofGreece, guided a force of Persians over the mountain path,which the Spartans had left only slightly guarded. Leonidasknew that he could no longer hold his position. He senthome his allies; but he and his three hundred Spartans re-mained to die in the pass which their country had given them § 177] THERMOPYLAE 179 to defend. They charged joyously upon the Persian spears,and fell fighting, to a man.^ Sparta had shown no capacity to command in this greatcrisis. Twice her shortsightedness had caused the loss ofvital positions. But at Thermopylae her citizens had setGreece an example of calm heroism that has stirred the worldever since. In later times the burial place of the Three Hundr
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